The Card
by joanna77
Summary: Josh has an NSA card and Donna doesn't. Set in SantosAdmin. Eric Baker is the VP.
1. Chapter 1

Josh awoke with a start. It took him almost a minute to realize that someone was knocking on his door. And they were pretty persistent.

"Mr. Lyman, please open up," he heard a familiar voice. He briefly wondered from where he knew the man while he donned his old bathrobe.

"Coming," he said groggily, casting a quick glance at the watch on his nightstand. It still said 3:30.

He opened up the door and found himself face to face with three Secret Service agents.

"Mr. Lyman, you have to come with us," Liam O'Leary told him.

"Where are we going?" Josh asked, while going back into the room to get fully dressed.

"Sir, we don't have time to discuss things, we don't have time to get dressed. You have to come with us. In this minute."

Josh looked at the man and then nodded; quickly picking up his clothes from yesterday he followed the three agents. A big black car was waiting for them, its engines were running. Josh climbed into the car and after pulling on his trousers, he fell asleep to the monotony of the car rolling on the dark empty streets of the D.C.

He didn't notice that they stopped so Liam O'Leary had to shake him awake. Josh looked around surprised. He had never seen this part of Washington. He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was almost half past four. So they must have traveled approximately an hour.

_We are not in Kansas anymore_, he thought and then chuckled. However stepping out into the crisp morning air, he had to realize the seriousness of the situation.

"Where are we exactly, and what am I doing here?" he asked then Liam.

"Sir, you'll need your card when you get out. I'm not allowed to accompany you," Liam avoided answering his question.

"What kind of card?" Josh asked, after getting out of the car. But the car drove away without Liam giving him an answer to that question. "What kind of card?" he shouted impatiently.

"Your NSA card, Mr. Lyman," another—though only slightly—familiar voice told him.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Josh asked, turning around to face Agent Truro. They stepped into the building which—Josh was surprised to see—consisted of almost nothing else but corridors seemingly leading to nowhere.

"No, sir," the young man shook his head. "May I see your card?" he asked then again, very politely.

"What if I didn't have it?" Josh asked, opening his briefcase.

"Did Agent O'Leary ask you to bring your briefcase?" Agent Truro asked, reaching out for the card.

"No," Josh shook his head, handing the card over.

"Well, he must have seen you grabbing it; otherwise he would have told you to bring it."

"And isn't this card there to give me directions?" Josh asked, after Agent Truro handed him the card back.

"Well, sir, since you couldn't have been aware of the situation, it was just easier to bring you here," the agent told him with an almost apologetic smile.

"Well, Agent Truro, what is the situation?" Josh asked from the man.

"That is not for me to tell," the agent told him and turned. "Would you follow me, please?"

Josh looked at the back of the agent but then followed him in silence.

"Where are we?" he asked finally, tired of walking the white corridors.

"Not in the D.C. anymore, Mr. Lyman," the young man disclosed.

"That much I gathered. But where exactly?" Josh asked.

"It's not important, Josh," he heard another familiar—although not very friendly—voice.

"I don't know why, but this all is starting to resemble a recent nightmare of mine," Josh stated as he watched Vice President Eric Baker step onto the corridor.

"Josh, come on in! We have been expecting you," the vice president told him with a smile, although the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Yes, sir," Josh said with a nod and followed the vice president into the office behind the door. He saw the almost exact replica of the White House's Situation Room. Josh took a long look around to identify the faces looking up at him. He saw the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the HUD Secretary, the Deputy of the National Security Advisor and the Secretary of the Interior. Those were the civilians. The Vice Chairman of the JSC stood next to Vice President Eric Baker and another four richly decorated military men of high ranks stood around the table. Farthest from him he was also able to recognize the Deputies of the CIA and the FBI.

"What happened?" he asked, turning to Vice Chairman General Michael Tumble.

"The President refused to leave the White House," the general told him.

"Well, I remember that Leo threatened President Bartlet with the Secret Service, so where were they?" Josh asked.

"The President sent them after you, saying that you have the NSA card," the Secretary of the Interior imparted.

Josh heaved a tired sigh and then looked at the vice president.

"What do we know? And what are they doing in the White House?" he asked.

"They are doing whatever is needed to do to keep the country running," the CIA's Deputy Director of Intelligence told him.

"Okay, and what are we doing?" Josh asked them.

"We are doing nothing, son," Vice President Baker told him.

"Nothing? And what are those monitors for?" Josh pointed at the black monitors.

"We don't have an operational link outside, the Department of the Treasury says this is a new site and they are still working on it," the Deputy Director of the FBI said.

Josh's eyes darted to the Secretary of the Treasury and Mike Trattore, looking ashamed, nodded his conformation.

"We have to talk about this once the crisis is over," Josh said. "Okay, let's do something!" he then turned to the vice president.

"Josh, you understood the part that we don't have an operational link to the outside world, didn't you?" the CIA's DDI asked him.

"Yes, Frank, I did understand that, you told me in English and I was here to hear it, but let's be honest…. Okay, how long have you been here?" he asked then no one in particular but rather the group of people surrounding the oval table.

"Well, we have been here for almost half an hour prior to your arrival, Josh," Michael Tumble answered his question.

"And you are still not gone crazy over the fact that you can't do anything in this situation?" Josh asked them, clearly expressing his perplexity.

"Well, Josh, what do you suggest we do?" Vice President Eric Baker asked him.

"You do have cell phones, right?" Josh retorted, hearing the mocking in the vice president's voice.

"They don't work here," Mike Trattore said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Cell phones don't work here?" Josh uttered the question in a high pitched voice.

"Okay, Josh, you know that you sound ridiculous when you do that," his friend Mike Casper told him.

"Yeah, I know that, and you all know what it means when I do that," he looked around, flashing a smile at Deputy Advisor for National Security Romana Gutierrez.

"Yes, Josh, we know. It means that you need someone to talk to you, but we don't have Donna here, so settle down," the Vice Chairman General Tumble told him.

"Okay, I really have to do something now," Josh told them.

"You can join us waiting, Josh," Romana Gutierrez offered him.

"Is there another room I can wait?" Josh asked them.

"Why don't you want to wait here with us, son?" the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs asked him.

"'Cause if this is all over and we return to reality I still have to work with you all," Josh told him and then stepped out of the room. He greeted the two Secret Service agents who stood outside and asked them to point him to the mess.

"Left, right and then right again, sir," the agents answered in unison.

Josh stepped into the mess and was clearly surprised to see that it wasn't empty. He knew these faces from various balls and ceremonial gatherings in the D.C.

"What's going on, Josh? Why don't they tell us anything?" Mrs. Baker asked him, after Josh greeted the assembled women and children.

"Well, I don't know either so that's why they are not telling anything. All I know that the agents woke me up in the middle of the night and then drove me here," Josh said, trying to send a reassuring smile towards the older woman. "Is everyone alright?" he asked then.

"Yes, Josh, thank you," Mrs. Tumble told him.

Josh looked around and noticed how tired the kids looked. He stepped outside where the door was flanked with two agents.

"Are there any rooms for kids in this complex? Someplace to crash?" Josh asked the two female agents.

"Yes, sir," Agent Hailey Roth told him.

"Would you call someone to lead them there?" Josh inquired and Agent Roth nodded. She used her earpiece and microphones to summon someone and five minutes later the children and their mothers left the mess, leaving Josh with five women and a man.

"I'm glad you could convince Dorothy to go with them," Mrs. Tumble said, referring to the wife of the vice president. "I know it must be hard on her, but she was driving us crazy here."

"Where is the First Lady? Isn't she supposed to be here?" Luis Gutierrez asked him.

"She is in Boston, I think," Josh told him.

"You think? You don't know where your fiancée is?" Mrs. Tumble asked him in disbelief.

"I don't really have the capacity to keep their schedule in my head all the time. As long as she calls me every night and assures me that she is still in love with me I don't really care. I think they are in Boston, but they can be in Philly for what I know. I'm only sure that they are supposed to come home this morning. And I can only hope that they are both in a secure facility in Boston. What my concern is where the Santos kids are," Josh said, after rubbing his eyes. He was concerned about Donna's whereabouts but what good would it bring if he would panic?

As if on cue, two Secret Service agents stepped into the room, each holding a sleeping kid in their hands.

"They were staying with their grandparents," the agent whispered to Josh.

"And where are they?" Josh asked back.

"They refused to leave," the agent replied.

"Okay, Mrs. Tumble, could you please…?" Josh turned to the wife of the Vice Chairman of the JCS.

"Of course, Josh, follow me, please," she told to the two agents.

"I really have to speak to someone or else I go crazy," Josh grumbled.

"Chill it, Josh!" he heard a voice behind him; he turned on his heels to face a Secret Service agent.

"You're talking to me?" he asked surprised.

"Wait a minute, sir," the agent said, stopping Josh with a raised hand. "Chill it, Josh!" he repeated then.

"Well, I've heard you before, but—" Josh wanted to protest but was interrupted.

"Excuse me, sir, I have the president. He said I should tell you to chill it."

"You have the President there?" Josh asked excited at the idea that he can, at last, do something. "Tell him his kids are safe and tucked in."

"He knows that, sir," the agent told Josh.

"Just tell him, would ya, please?" Josh got impatient.

"He says thank you," the agent replied after a minute.

"Can I talk to him?" Josh asked, seeing that that way it will take hours before he gets the answers.

"No, sir, according to the security procedure…" the agent wanted to say but was cut off.

"Oh for cryin' out loud! Screw the regulations! You have the President there," Josh shouted.

"Actually, sir, I have a chain of people and at the end of the chain there is the President," the agent told him coolly.

"Okay, tell him I want to go back to Washington," Josh said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"No, Josh," came the answer almost a minute later. "You have to stay there; you have to advise the Vice President and the other members of the Cabinet."

"Sir, with all due respect, the Vice President has his own Chief of Staff," Josh pointed out.

"Who is not here," the agent informed him almost immediately. "I'll tell Helen that the kids are okay. Thank you, Josh. I hope we'll see you soon," he then relayed President Santos' words to Josh.

"Sir!" Josh shouted as if the President could hear him.

"No use, sir, the presidential detail shut us out," the agent said.

"How did this chain work? I thought if cell phones don't work here…" Josh trailed off.

"Yeah, but we've an outpost in front of the building; their earpieces are picking up signals from the outside world, and they are in touch with us."


	2. Chapter 2

Josh went back into the room. He was standing there as if he was waiting for divine inspiration or something equally miraculous to happen. He didn't hear the knocking at the door so he was startled when Agent Gary Columbus touched his arm.

"Sir," he called Josh.

"Yes?" Josh asked, coming to.

"I have the First Lady here," the agent said and show at his earpiece. "Would you like to talk to her?"

"Gary, it's not like I have a choice there. You don't say no to the First Lady. Ever," Josh said, suppressing a movement that would have betrayed the fact that a shiver run down his spine. "Okay, is this gonna be as ridiculous as before?" he asked then, not even hoping to get an answer. "Well, patch her through and let the hilarity ensue!" he joked.

"Josh, thanks for reporting back to me about the kids. Are they asleep?"

"They didn't even wake up properly, ma'am," Josh said.

"Thank you, Josh. Can I talk to Donna now? I really do think that---" the agent relayed the first lady's words, but Josh interrupted him.

"Wait a minute! Please, tell her that Donna is not with me. Tell her that I thought she was with her," he told the agent.

There were almost two minutes of silence in which Josh almost felt his hair grow thinner and become greyer.

"I'm sorry, Josh, but she took the midnight train to be at home in the morning. I told her she could ride with me in the helicopter, but she told me she wanted to catch you before you went into work, this day being significant and all," came the first lady's response.

Josh stood there, feeling completely unable to move or to open his mouth. The agent concluded the conversation and then turned to Josh.

"Sir, the First Lady told me to tell you that you shouldn't be worried, Ms Moss is likely on her way here," Gary Columbus told him.

"The thing is, she doesn't have an NSA card," Josh said and a determination appeared in his eyes. He pushed the agent aside and went into the Situation Room.

"What's wrong, Josh?" Romana Gutierrez asked him, immediately spotting the distress on Josh' face.

"Well, the First Lady is safe in a Boston bunker, but it seems that Donna is in our flat at the moment and since she doesn't have an NSA card, she won't be taken here," Josh imparted, trying to sound objective and dispassionate, but the pain in his eyes betrayed him. The Vice President stood up slowly, approached Josh and took his arm, leading him to an unoccupied chair.

"Sit down, Josh," he pushed him down then.

"I don't understand," the HUD Secretary turned to the National Security Advisor. "Why doesn't she have a card?"

"We are not married," Josh whispered.

"I'm sorry, but…" the HUD Secretary said, but Mike Casper interrupted her.

"They are not married and Donna's not classified as an asset," he explained.

"Thanks for pointing that out, Mike," Josh turned to his friend.

"Well, you should have married her and then we wouldn't have this problem," Mike retorted.

"It's my problem, and I'm already working on the solution," Josh told him.

"Well, Josh, it's not like that we can use our collective brainpower for a matter that well, really matters," the Vice President told Josh, "so we will see to it that Donna gets here."

"But, sir… but, sir…" Josh stammered. He was flabbergasted at the Vice President's support. He was never on the same opinion as Josh and he never liked him. Not that the feeling wasn't mutual, although Josh never knew why Vice President Eric Baker hated his guts, he was sure that he never did anything to the man that could have justified the ignoring and condescending that Eric Baker showed towards him.

"You can thank us later, Josh. Okay, we have several lawyers in this room. Try to figure out something," the Vice President ordered. "Josh, you'd be in our way, go back to the mess or wherever you were before. We will call you when we have something."

Josh, still a bit astounded, left the room and entered the corridor. He decided not to go back to the mess but to wander around. He thought he would feel himself useful by charting the structure they were trapped in. After half an hour of disorientated wandering, he found a room with a dozen computers in it. He switched one on and tried to connect to the Internet, although he knew that there is no link to the outside world. After getting the anticipated answer, he searched the hard disk of the computer, randomly giving a search term: "marriage". When he got at least two dozen files as a result to his query, he was shocked. Apparently those computers held the information of… well, of pretty much everything as he later learned when he tried the search terms "Donnatella Moss" and "Apollo 11".

After two hours of doing search terms, he sauntered back into the Situation Room. Upon opening the door, he was confronted with tired-looking faces.

"Josh, we can't circumvent the fact that the two of you are not married," the Vice President told him. "But, if you are willing to take that step, we could make it possible."

"We aren't 100 sure that it's gonna work, but it's all we've got," Mike Casper told him.

"Okay," Josh whispered and nodded. "What can we do?"

"We have a justice of the peace here…" Romana began.

"But we aren't in the DC anymore and Maryland doesn't recognize justices of the peace," Josh told.

"Yeah, but we aren't supposed to know where we are, so let's just assume that we are in the DC. If the Secret Service has a problem with that we could ask them to tell us where the hell we are," the Vice President told Josh. "It sounds dumber than it is, but…"

"Okay, we have a justice of the peace, but we don't have Donna," Josh threw in.

"I know, I know," Eric Baker said impatiently.

"You should be able to order them around, sir," Romana said then.

"I'm only the Vice President, Romana," Mr. Baker said, turning to the National Security Advisor.

"You are a statutory member of the National Security Council, sir, you have a say."

"Frankly, I'm allowed so little that I usually forget that I still have some power up in my sleeves," the Vice President let out a dry laugh. "But I'm still not allowed to override or veto or whatever procedures, so you still have to marry her, Josh."

"Yes, sir," Josh said solemnly.

The Vice President then ordered one of the Secret Service agents in and told him to get hold of Donna Moss and bring her here.

"She cannot enter this building, sir, I'm sorry," the agent told the Vice President.

"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Mr. Baker exclaimed.

"You have an outpost, right?" Josh asked. "And it's not that far from here, right? 10 meters or so?"

"Right, sir, but you are not allowed to leave the building and return. You either stay here or leave but once you left you cannot return," the agent told him.

"Can we hold the door open?" Romana Gutierrez asked.

"Yes, ma'am, since we don't have credible fear of a nuclear threat the door can be kept open for 10 minutes," the agent told her.

"That should be more than enough," Romana said with a chuckle.

"Good, then bring Ms Moss here," the Vice President ordered.

"Yes, sir," the agent said and disappeared.

"She is here, sir," the agents reported to the vice president an hour later. Josh was already sent out of the room again because he was driving the others crazy.

"Get Mr. Lyman," the vice president ordered and then left the Situation Room. Everybody followed suit.

But Josh was already in the lobby, waiting for the door to open.

"Open the door," the vice president told the agent and then let Josh step into the doorframe.

For a moment Josh couldn't say anything. He just stood there, looking at Donna, wanting to etch every feature of her face, every loose strand of hair that was flying around her face in the morning wind into his memory.

"Josh, you understood the part with the ten minute window, right?" Romana nudged him into the ribs.

Josh turned around, his eyes still unfocused. He nodded and then turned back to Donna.

"Hi there!" he greeted her and then had to repeat the greeting, because he didn't speak loud enough.

"Hi! I see you've found the place," Donna remarked with a chuckle. After Josh got the card, he told her he had such a bad sense of direction that he would never really find the place anyway.

"They brought me here," Josh said with one of his trademark smiles. "Listen, I want you to come inside but you can't come unless we are married."

"If that was your way to ask me, you have to ask me again, Josh," Donna shouted back.

"Donna!" Josh shouted impatiently. "Okay," he whispered then. "Donnatealla Moss, I would like to marry you, do you want to marry me?"

"Is it because of this thing?" Donna asked.

"Donna, we really don't have the time for this," Josh shouted back, much like he would have in their first years in the West Wing.

"Josh!" Donna cried indignantly, with a hint of impatience in her voice, much like she would have said his name in their first years in the West Wing.

"Okay," Josh whispered again. "I love you, Donna Moss, and I want to spend my life with you," he shouted then.

"Okay!" Donna shouted back.

"Is that a yes?" Josh asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, that is a yes!" Donna shouted back.

"Good, I have a justice of the peace here," Josh said then and Luis Gutierrez stepped up to Josh. "I have a wedding woe," Josh inserted before Luis could start the ceremony.

"Six minutes, Mr. Lyman," the agent standing next to the door told him.

"Okay, Josh, then let's hear it," Luis told him, after seeing the disappointment on Josh's face.

"Although it will sound ridiculous if I say it shouting," Josh second-guessed himself.

"Is that a good woe?" Luis asked him.

"I showed it to Sam ten days ago and he told me it was good," Josh said shrugging his shoulders.

"Then let's do it," Luis encouraged him.

"Okay then," Josh said and then turned back to Donna.

"We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining together of Josh and Donna in the estate of marriage. Josh, you can say your woe now," Luis told Josh.

"Donna, you are my best friend, the inspiration in my life, you keep me going and I will love you for all eternity. On this special day, in the presence of God and these witnesses I promise to love you, stay by your side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through the good times and the bad. I promise to comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all of your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, always be honest with you, and cherish you 'till death do us apart."

He was only halfway through his woe when the first tears appeared in Donna's eyes. By the time he finished, Donna was shaking and Josh wanted nothing more than to run to her and take her in his arms, but he knew that it would be a very dumb move to make, especially after all everyone did in order to get Donna here and to get her inside the building.

"Will you, Joshua Lyman, take Donnatella Moss to your lawfully wedded wife?" Luis asked, after the agent flanking the door looked down at his watch. "If so, please answer I will."

"I will," Josh answered loud and clear. Donna looked up and a quivering smile appeared in the corner of her mouth.

"Will you, Donnatella Moss, take Joshua Lyman to your lawfully wedded husband?" Luis then asked. "If so, please answer I will."

"I will," Donna shouted.

"Then by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the District of Columbia, I pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may kiss and embrace," he added then with a chuckle because the agents let Donna go and Donna was already running into the open arms of Josh.

"Thank you," Josh mouthed to everyone after he embraced Donna and she buried her head into the nape of his neck.

The others said "Congratulations" almost in unison and then started to disperse. The Secret Service agents returned to their places. Josh was staring at the door, it was already shut and locked again. He murmured a "thank you" under his breath and then looked down at Donna's face.

"I'm so sorry it had to happen this way but I wanted to have you safe in here," he told her.

"Josh, it was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined," Donna told him after she kissed him.

"Yeah, but I know that you wanted to marry in white and that you wanted our friends to be there with us," Josh told her.

"You wanted the same, Josh," Donna said with a chuckle, remembering a conversation she had with Sam about him catching Josh secretly looking at bridal gowns on the Internet.

"But…"

"No 'buts', Josh," Donna said and put her index finger over Josh' lips. "It was beautiful, I only regret that I didn't have a woe," she whispered and kissed Josh again. "Yours was so touching."

"Well, you will have time to come up with a woe," Josh said a smile. "It's not like we could do something useful here."

"What's the problem?" Donna asked.

"We don't have an operational link outside," Josh informed her.

"Okay, let's work on that then," Donna told him and Josh somehow found the energy he lacked before to take up the fight with everyone and everything that might stand in his way to achieve his goals.


	3. Chapter 3

"We have an operational link," Donna announced to the assembled in the Situation Room.

"How did you do that?" Vice President Eric Baker asked, looking questioningly at Josh.

"Well, as it turns out the system was 98 ready, we just had to connect the dots, erm… the cables." Josh said with a cocky grin.

"Well, let's call the President then," Vice President Eric Baker told them then.

Two minutes later the Matthew Santos' face appeared on the giant display in the Situation Room. However, the most remarkable thing was not that they could see him, but that they saw him smiling.

"Congratulations to all of you," he greeted them with this sentence.

"Congratulations for what exactly, sir?" Josh asked him.

"Well, you did it in a record time; you beat us by three hours," POTUS added.

"What did we do in a record time, sir?" Mr. Baker asked President Santos.

"Well, I'm sure all of you will be relieved to learn that you just completed a drill very successfully," Matthew Santos told them, his voice clearly indicating that he was proud. "We did the same last week when they told you that I wasn't available. The Secret Service, CIA and FBI devised a plan to test our readiness and whatnot. You beat us by three hours," he repeated, this time a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Who figured out that you only needed to connect the cables?" President Santos asked.

"It was Mrs. Lyman," Romana Gutierrez told him, barely suppressing a chuckle.

"Mrs… Lyman?" the president asked.

"Yes, sir," Romana and Eric Baker nodded simultaneously.

"I didn't know Josh' mother was flown there," the president said hesitantly. "Did you know, Sam?"

"No, sir, that's impossible. I spoke to Mrs. Lyman today, she couldn't have been there," Sam walked into view.

"Hi, Sam," Donna chirped in.

"Donna!" Sam exclaimed, both he and the president looking extremely surprised, almost baffled.

"How comes that Donna is there?" the president asked Ron Butterfield who just walked into view.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Mrs. Lyman," the always sober special agent said with a smile.

"Thank you, Agent Butterfield." Donna thanked him with a 100-Watt smile.

"You just called Donna Mrs. Lyman, Ron," the president turned to Agent Butterfield.

"Well, sir, I think it's Mr. Lyman's job to break the good news," the agent said with a smile and then walked out of view again.

"Sir, Sam, I married Donna," Josh said, deciding not to dwell much on the details.

His announcement was met with silence at the other of the line. Then a big smile appeared on both faces. Sam and President Santos looked both as if Christmas came early this year. They said their congratulations, shared a laugh that it was Donna who connected the dots and then the president ordered them all back.

The presidential motorcade was already waiting for them and they were swiftly transported back to the nation's capital. In about two hours everything was back to normal, Josh was in the Oval Office, explaining his marriage and Donna was in the Residence, watching the First Kids playing while they were all waiting for Helen to arrive from Boston.

Josh was still musing about the president's order when he stepped into his office at half past six.

"Good, you are here," the president said, after entering the Chief of Staff's office.

"How can I be of assistance, sir?" Josh asked him, stifling a yawn.

"Well, let me be of assistance this time," Matthew Santos told him, and draped his right arm across Josh' shoulders. "Get your coat and your credit card, Josh, we are going shopping."

"Shopping, sir?" Josh asked back puzzled, but the president was already back in the Oval Office. Josh hurried after his boss and found presidential aide, Tom Reed in his coat, helping the president into his own.

"Let's get going, Tommy," Matthew Santos told the aide and then looked at Josh. "You should probably close your mouth, Josh. We are going shopping, tomorrow is a big day for me, it's Helen's birthday."

"I see, sir," Josh said, but he didn't understand it. Why would the president need his assistance for picking a birthday present for the First Lady? He could've invited Donna for the trip; she could've give the president better advice than he will ever be able to.

On the way to the store, the president signed some documents, called his mother-in-law and joked with Tommy about his crush on Lou's assistant. Josh was deep in his thoughts, still thinking about what he did the day before. Donna asked him if he minded that he only married her because of a drill but Josh pointed out that he did have a woe. All of Donna's doubts were washed away. She asked for the crumpled paper Josh wrote the woe on and she read it again, her eyes filled with tears again. Josh remembered with a smile how she kissed those kisses away and how Donna promised him to have a woe at the end of the following day.

"Josh," Tommy called him and judging by the look on his face, it wasn't the first time.

"Yes?" he snapped out of his reverie. He looked outside and didn't recognize anything at all. He didn't know where they were and how long they traveled; he just guessed that they didn't leave the immediate vicinity of the DC. He thought he would have noticed if they were cruising through the countryside.

"We are here, Josh," the president told him.

Josh stepped out of the limousine and found himself staring at a building which bore the name of the store in big, bold golden lettering and it read Tiffany and Co.

"Sir?" he asked unsure. "I doubt they are open."

"Why, Josh, they agreed to open up earlier so we have an hour, but I do hope that it won't take that long," the president told him, patting his shoulders.

"Yes, sir. Do you need any assistance with picking a…" Josh offered.

"Josh, I brought Tommy along for that. I think you want to see the rings, I'm more interested in chokers and necklaces. So our ways part here," the president said with a chuckle and then disappeared with Tommy.

"Mr. Lyman?" a shop-assistant called him.

"Yes?" Josh turned on his heels.

"I understand that you are looking for wedding bands, sir." The young woman smiled at him genuinely.

"Yes. Yes. But could you show me something… I don't know… Something different, maybe," Josh asked hesitantly.

"Well, sir, you came to right place if you wanted to find something different. Something different is our specialty. Do you want an engagement ring or just wedding bands?"

"Why do half the work?" Josh murmured under his breath. "You know what, show me matching wedding bands for husband and wife and then we'll take a look at the engagement rings."

"Well, sir. Platinum, white gold or traditional gold for the wedding bands?"

"Platinum," Josh said and then looked in awe as the shop assistant took out the rings to look at. "Wow, that's a lot to choose from."

"Sir, if I may…"

"Yes, help me please," Josh said, flashing a smile at her.

"This is something very simple. But I think if you are inclined to give your betrothed another ring you should definitely go with this. I see you don't wear any rings, so I don't think you would be very comfortable with something big and fancy. This is the Milgrain wedding band. I would say the two-millimeter one for Mrs. Lyman and the three-millimeter one for you."

"Yeah, okay, all right," Josh said nodding his consent. He tried on two rings to get the right size. "I don't know which size Donna is wearing."

"That's already taken care of, sir." The shop assistant smiled at him friendly.

"I see. Okay, let's shop engagement rings," Josh said, suddenly very interested in rings. He imagined Donna's face upon receiving something beautiful from Tiffany's.

"This is the Tiffany Blossom ring, Mr. Lyman, isn't it beautiful?" she asked, after placing the ring in front of Josh. "This is a bit smaller, it's called the Bloom ring, platinum too. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," Josh said, after picking the ring up.

"This is something different, it's diamonds and sapphires. It's a channel set diamond and sapphire band ring. It's full circle and three millimeters in width." With this she put another ring in front of Josh.

"Well, you made it really hard to decide. Which one do you like?" he asked then.

"Well, these three, that's why I suggested them, sir," the shop assistant told him.

"I think I will need help. Could you hang on a minute?" he asked then. "You have a homepage, right? Are these rings on it?" he asked then.

"Yes, sir," the shop assistant nodded. "But…" she wanted to tell him something, but Donna already picked up.

"Hi, Donna!" He smiled into the phone.

"Hi! Where are you? I tried to phone your office, but…" Donna wanted to ask, but Josh interrupted her.

"Listen, we are shopping for the First Lady's birthday and we cannot decide on a ring. We already picked the earrings and whatnot but we need a ring too. Could you please log onto Tiffany's…" he explained.

"You are at Tiffany's?" she squealed.

"I strongly hope that the First Lady is not there, Donna," Josh tried to sound scolding.

"No, she is still with the kids. Okay, I'm in. What should I look at?" she asked then.

"At the rings. Just tell us what you like and we will decide then."

"Okay, here is an interesting one. It's white gold…" she started, but Josh interrupted her again.

"Platinum rings only, Donna," he said, trying to sound impatient.

"Okay, okay. Is the President stressed?" she chatted while she was looking at the rings.

"A bit," Josh said, he imagined that by now Matthew Santos was a stressed, at least a little bit.

"Oh! Oh! That's beautiful!"

"Which one?" Josh asked impatiently.

"The Tiffany Bloom ring, it costs a fortune, but I guess the President can afford it," she chatted on happily.

"Yeah," Josh said, looking at the shop assistant. "Well, thank you."

"Wait, there are more…" Donna wanted to protest.

"But you said the Bloom one is beautiful."

"Yeah, but there are more, Josh. Why take the second best?" she asked at the other end.

"Well, what else do you like?" Josh asked, sitting down and mouthing a 'sorry' towards the assistant. She sent her a reassuring smile and then busied herself by packing away the wedding bands.

"Okay, I've found many with a diamonds and sapphires," Donna reported. "They all look very nice."

"Yeah, okay, I'll tell them then," Josh said, wanting to hang up.

"Oh, oh!"

"What's wrong, Donna?" Josh demanded to know.

"The First Lady is here. Gotta go! Love ya, Mr. Lyman!" she said.

"I love you too, Mrs. Lyman," Josh said to the deaf phone.

"Josh, we are ready to roll," Tommy stepped up to him.

"I need a couple more minutes," Josh murmured, still unable to decide which one to think.

"Trust your instincts, Josh." He then heard the President's voice.

"Well, sir, we know that sometimes even my instincts are wrong and this is not one of those occasions when I can let that happen." Josh turned to him.

"Well, Josh, let me ask you a question. What do you think which ring will Donna like you more, this one," he said and pointed at the simpler wedding band, "or this one?" He then pointed at the Tiffany Bloom Ring.

"This one," Josh answered, pointing at the wedding band.

"Okay, then the second one doesn't really matter," President Santos told him. "Pick one and let's go."

"This one then." Josh turned to the shop assistant and then pointed at the Tiffany Blossom one. It was the first he saw but it was still the one he found the most beautiful ring he had ever seen. He paid and then several thousand dollars poorer they left the building, thanking the store manager for her kindness.

"I think we best let Tommy have the boxes, Josh. Women tend to go crazy about these blue boxes," Matthew Santos told Josh when the unmarked SUV pulled up to the White House.

"It's a good idea, sir," Josh said and they shared an all-knowing smile. "I still have to brief you about Hungary, sir. The Prime Minister will arrive in two days."

"Okay, Josh," the President said and they switched into POTUS- and COS-mode the moment their feet touched the ground of the White House pavement.

Around 9 pm. Josh stepped into Tommy's office before heading home. He was grateful for the president's idea because Donna had dropped in during lunch break and Josh knew she would have spotted the boxes, even if he had hidden them well. He would have somehow betrayed himself; he would have kept glancing toward the hidden boxes or something but this way his mind was on something else.

After arriving home, he unloaded the bag with the Tiffany blue boxes in the foyer. He was greeted by a sight that took his breath away. The table was set for two, candle-light made their everyday plates look prettier and his old wine glasses were twinkling at him. His new wife was sitting at the table, reading a file. She was wearing a cerulean blue skirt and a cream-colored blouse.

"This is a sight to see," he greeted her, after stepping into the dining room.

"Josh!" Donna jumped to her feet and greeted him with a hug.

"This is something I could get used to," Josh said, after kissing his wife.

"Well, don't get too used to it, it won't last. I guess they are treating us like honeymooners but this will go away," Donna said while making her way to the kitchen.

"Need any help?" Josh shouted, secretly dashing back for the bag with the boxes to relocate them into the living room.

"You could help me with the salad," Donna said and Josh obliged.

"We are a good team," Josh told her, after they placed the dinner at the table. "I like candles," he added then, taking her hand into his and bringing her palm to his lips. He kissed her palm and then pulled out the chair and waited behind her while she was taking her seat.

"I know," Donna said and threw him an all-knowing smile, while he was hurrying to his own side of the table. They were chatting during dinner, mostly about what happened that day in the office and then Donna shared some Capitol Hill gossip with him, making him laugh.

After dinner Josh grabbed the bottle of wine and Donna got their glasses, they went into the living room and settled down at the sofa, sipping at their wine, watching MSNBC.

"Josh." Donna turned to him, taking his wine glass and placing it onto the coffee table. She switched off the TV and that made Josh realize that she is about to say something really-really important. "I told you that I'll have my woe finished tonight. I did write it and I'd like to share it with if that's okay."

Josh took her hands in his and looked her in the eye. It was all the encouragement Donna needed.

"Some say love is a river that drowns the tender reed. Some say love is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed. Some say love is a hunger, an endless aching need. I say that love is indefinable. Love is a unique feeling that you have to cherish. Today, in the presence of God, I promise to love you, to stay by your side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through the good times and the bad. I promise to encourage you to dare to dream and to make your dreams come true. I'll cherish you and our love 'till death do us part. I will love you always and forever."

Josh was so touched by her words that he had to blink back the tears. After her woe he took her in his arms and they shared a long, tender kiss. Finally they broke apart and Josh reached behind his back to produce the Tiffany bag.

"Josh?" Donna asked hesitantly.

"Well, it was true that the President went on a shopping spree for a birthday present, but he didn't invite me along to advise him," Josh confessed while opening up one of the boxes.

"Donnatella Lyman, with this ring I thee wed," he said and then put the ring onto Donna's finger.

"You already married me, Josh," Donna stated. "This is… This is…" she stammered. "I don't know what to say. I'm so… This is so…"

Josh gave her the other box and when Donna opened it up, her tears started falling. But she pulled herself together, took the ring out of the box and grabbed Josh' hand.

"Josh Lyman, with this ring I thee wed," she repeated.

"You may kiss the bride now, I guess that's the next line," Josh quipped and then did what he said. "Do you really like this ring, Donna?" he asked unsure of himself.

"It was incredibly sweet of you to think of it, Josh," Donna said, giving him a short kiss on the lips.

"Well, it was the President's idea, but he didn't say to buy this one too. It was all me," Josh said, referring to an earlier conversation. Sure enough Donna's face broke into a smile when he handed him the next box.

"You shouldn't have done this, Josh," she said while unwrapping the present. She opened the lid and then gasped. "Josh, oh, Josh!" she exclaimed and threw herself into his open arms. "It's beautiful!" she whispered and handed him the ring back giving him her hand to put the ring on her finger. "It's incredible, Josh! I still cannot believe it!" she said after five minutes. "How can I thank you for this."

"Well, you already thanked me for that. I'm extraordinarily glad that you liked it. It was a gut feeling that this is nicer than the Bloom one," Josh said proudly.

"It is," Donna agreed, and then looked down at her wedding band. She took Josh' hand and nestled the two rings next to each other. "I will treasure this one," she whispered, and then looked down at her Tiffany Blossom ring. "And I will never cease to admire this one. Thank you."

"I love you, Donna," Josh whispered back, taking her into his arms once again.

"I love you too, Josh," Donna returned the confession and sealed it with a kiss.

THE END

Inspiration for Donna's woe came from Bette Midler's The Rose. No copyright infringement intended, used solely for entertainment purposes and not for profit.


End file.
